


It Might Just Be Fantastic

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: Fresh Perspectives [3]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-20
Updated: 2011-10-20
Packaged: 2017-10-24 19:52:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/267234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Can we have a slightly awkward conversation and get it out of the way?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	It Might Just Be Fantastic

**Author's Note:**

> This is #3 in the Fresh Perspectives series, which features a much older Jack Hotchner.

He loved her laugh, and Stella laughed a lot. She laughed through the appetizers, entrée, wine, and dessert. Jack noticed she had at least three different laughs…her giggle was definitely his favorite. Sometimes she would cover her mouth as if that much glee wasn’t acceptable. Jack kept taking her hand away. He would hold it in his, stroke it, kiss it, and just keep talking.

They talked so much it was hard for Jack to keep up. There were so few people that he shared with. His family was the only people who knew him intimately. He shared a lot with his Uncle Jason before he died but he didn’t have many close friends. His team probably came the closest and they always pushed him to be more open. With Stella that didn’t seem to be a problem. He didn’t mind talking about the time he broke his nose at 13. Embarrassing Academy stories weren't even off limits…he just wanted to hear her laugh.

She could listen to him talk forever. They were telling childhood stories and things that happened in the Academy. The food was delicious, the wine flowed; Stella felt at ease. She hadn’t dated much but that surely wasn’t because no men were trying. Stella hated bullshit. Most men wanted to impress her with hero stories and epic feats of spontaneity. They wanted to spend lavishly or name drop to show their worth. She found it much more fun to laugh with Jack.

They talked about being nerds and had an in-depth discussion about the Green River Killer case, which they both studied at the Academy. When he held her hand she felt the butterflies in her stomach. Stella never wanted to let go. Never in her life had it been this effortless to have a conversation with someone. A part of her breathed a sigh of relief while other parts tensed up. How crazy was it to feel frightened and elated at the same time?

“Oh my God, that is so adorable.” Stella was laughing again. This time she didn’t cover her mouth at all. “Did you really say that?”

“I did. I said Percy had a little sister and got a racecar bed so I should get one as well since I was having a little sister.”

“How old were you?”

“Four,” Jack replied. “I was pretty brilliant, putting two and two together that way. My father couldn’t deny it. My mother thought it to be a very rational argument.”

“She was right.” Stella nodded, laughing.

They were in a cab going from Bella Tora to Stella’s Georgetown apartment. It was a warm but rainy May night and Jack had his arm around her in the backseat. He wanted to kiss her, all over, but kept his hands to himself. Jack couldn’t help but caress her soft leg. Stella wore a purple dress with half her back bare. Yes, it made him salivate, but Jack kept control and decorum.

“You were probably so adorable.”

“Probably? I was beloved by all who encountered me.”

“Really?” Stella just laughed.

“I was the first team baby. Your brother managed to steal some of my thunder, but not all of it. Bree stole a little more and then there were babies everywhere.”

“You were the crown prince of the BAU.”

“Something like that. Like it or not, it was in my blood.”

The cab pulled up to her apartment and stopped. Jack paid the driver, gently turning her down when Stella offered to do so. He got out, put up his umbrella, and went around to her side.

“You're a real gentleman, John Bradshaw Hotchner.”

“I was raised right.”

Her key code let them into the building and they walked up the flight of stairs to her door. It was the first time that Jack had been inside. Since he was late picking her up that evening, they'd only had time to rush outside and hail a cab. Now he had time to look around. Stella lived in a two bedroom, two bath apartment that she tastefully decorated. Most of the furniture was modern.

She didn’t go for classic woods; the tables and bookshelves were black. Her living room set was maroon and crème. There was no TV in the room but an elaborate stereo system was on the floor to ceiling bookshelf. Stella had an impressive wine rack in her small kitchen, and the appliances were either maroon or black. Jack watched her make short work of an overcomplicated coffee maker. He thought about his Mr. Coffee with a smile.

“Do you mind if I use your bathroom?” He asked.

“Sure. It’s right over there; the light works the exhaust fan.”

“I’ll be right back.”

While Jack was gone, Stella got the coffee brewing. She went into the living room and put Charlie Parker on the stereo. Her father always said Charlie Parker brought the heat. He’d been right about everything else so this probably wouldn’t be any different. Taking off her sweater, Stella threw it casually over the arm of the couch. She opened the mini-blinds and let the night in.

Then she raised her arms over her head and stretched. That’s how Jack found her when he came out of the bathroom. Her back was to him; her mostly bare back. She was watching the happenings outside her window. A smile on his lips, he moved behind her and slid his arms around her waist. Jack couldn’t help but exhale while holding her body to his.

“The coffee should be ready soon.” She said.

“It smells good.”

“It’s Kenyan.”

“You smell good, Stella.” He brushed her hair aside to nuzzle her neck.

“I'm wearing Clinique Happy. When all else fails, you go with a classic. My mother gave me that advice.”

“I like it.” Jack kissed her behind her ear.

“Hey,” She moved away and started walking toward the kitchen. “Did I pass the test?”

“What test?”

“Surely you went through my medicine cabinet, Jack. Did I pass the test?”

“The truth is that I really considered it but it’s your guest bathroom. It wasn’t going to give me the true vision of Stella Colleen Rossi, so I skipped it altogether.”

“You know my middle name.” She smiled.

“I know a lot of things.”

“I just bet you do.”

Jack grinned, sliding his hands in his pockets and joining her in the kitchen. He sat on one of the maroon bar stools at the island as she poured coffee into two big, grey mugs. Everything was so modern and sophisticated Jack just imagined weekends spent in Ikea, Crate and Barrel, Restoration Hardware, and Target. Still, it had a homey, lived in feel. This wasn’t Stella’s style to impress people; it was her style because she liked it that way.

“How do you take your coffee?” She asked. “Please don’t say like your women…that’s probably something my dad would say.”

“Black,” Jack replied, dimples poking into his cheeks.

“Really?”

“Mmm,” He nodded.

Stella gently slid the mug toward him before going to the refrigerator for the creamer.

“You like cinnamon flavored creamer and lots of sugar.”

“Ooh, smooth Mr. Profiler Man.” She giggled, adding sugar to her coffee. She actually didn’t need a lot of sugar with the cinnamon flavored creamer. Stella sat across from Jack at the island. “Jack?”

“Yeah?”

“Can we have a slightly awkward conversation and get it out of the way?”

“Of course,” He couldn’t believe he agreed so quickly. Full disclosure was not typically his thing, and who knew what ‘slightly awkward’ actually meant.

“You said that night you drove me home from The Pub that The Reaper almost killed your mother and father. What did you mean?”

Jack took a deep breath and sipped his coffee. He definitely didn’t like talking about Foyet, as he didn’t like talking about Kevin Michaelsen. Still, this wasn’t some reporter or a hack trying to break into true crime novels, this was Stella and he knew why she was asking. She wanted to know more about him. Surely events in his childhood, from the racecar bed to the injuries of his parents, made him into the man sitting across from her right now.

“He stabbed my father nine times and shot my mother three times. He tried to kill my whole family.”

“I'm not an expert but that doesn’t fit his profile. He had a predilection for post-pubescent girls.” Stella said.

“It was revenge, pure and simple. My father refused to take his deal so he decided to destroy him.”

“How old were you?” Stella asked.

“I was four, but I remember the whole thing quite clearly. It nearly took a year for my mother to fully recover from her wounds. Dad went back to the FBI after a month but he was emotionally scarred for a long time after that. They both did their best not to let me see through the cracks but I did.”

“Aunt Emily was shot three times and went back to the FBI?”

“What?”

“You said Foyet shot her three times.”

Jack stopped for a moment, a small smile crossing his lips. It wasn’t a happy smile though.

“Emily Prentiss is not my biological mother.” He said.

“She isn’t?”

“No,” Jack shook his head. “Though I didn’t know why I thought you would know that. My mother’s name was Haley.” He pulled out his wallet and handed Stella the picture.

“Oh Jack, she’s beautiful.”

“She died when I was eight; she drowned. She and my stepfather were boating and they were drinking and that’s how it happened. My parents divorced when I was barely three.”

“That must have been hard.”

“It’s just something that always was. They were terrific parents and had been together a long time before the FBI took its toll. Dad married Emily two years later and then Bree came along. I started calling Emily mom after my mom died.”

Stella handed the photo back to him. She reached over and took his hand. Jack laced his fingers through hers, pressing their joined hands to his lips.

“We don’t have to talk about that anymore.” She said.

“I don’t mind telling you those things. I had a good life, Stella; I have a great life. My parents always did their best to make sure I was happy and healthy. There were tragedies but I think there are always tragedies…it’s why we do what we do.”

“You're such a strong guy, Jack, and I admire that in you.”

He smiled, leaning over the island for a kiss. Stella met him halfway. They kept kissing, eventually making their way into each other’s arms. After standing in the kitchen for a while, Stella took his hand and led him to the couch.

His kisses were more intense, passionate, and she lost herself in his arms. There was no groping, sticky fumbling, or yucky tongue. Jack was an excellent kisser but it was more than that. He held her right, touched her right, twirled his fingers through her hair, and nuzzled her neck.

“Mmm, ohhh Jack,”

“I should probably go.”

“You don't have to.” She took his face in her hands.

“I don’t want to.” He kissed her nose.

“So, we’re in agreement.”

“I'm still gonna go, Stel.” He stood from the couch, holding out a hand for her.

“I’ll walk you out.”

They went to the front door with their arms around each other. At the front door, they kissed again.

“When can I see you again?” He asked, holding her close.

“What are you doing tomorrow?”

Jack laughed. He gave her a hug.

“Call me; call me soon.”

“I will.” She said.

“Good.”

Stella kissed him and then opened the front door. She didn’t want to let him go but knew why he was leaving. Still, it had been four weeks…Jack could stay a little while.

“I really had a good time tonight.” He said. “It’s been a while since that happened.”

“Stick with me, Jack Jack, fun is my middle name.”

He smiled, kissed her cheek, and walked out of the apartment. Jack turned around when she called his name.

“Yeah?”

“Text me when you get home safely.” Stella said.

“I will, and you lock up behind me. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Stella went back inside, turning both locks and then leaning on the door. She sighed happily, swaying to _Ornithology_. Tonight was amazing; hopefully she wouldn’t have to wait too long to experience it again. Jack’s schedule was busy and hers wasn’t exactly slow. Still, they both made it clear tonight, with and without words, that spending time together was what they wanted.

Ecstatic, Stella thought of calling her father. He was always the first person she wanted to give her good news to. She and Jack agreed not to involve their parents for the time being. He thought, and she agreed, that their being thrust together was surely no accident. SSAs Hotchner and Rossi senior probably thought they'd come up with the perfect plan.

Their children didn’t want them basking in victory just yet. So Stella would call her sister instead; she needed to share her glee with someone. And she was surely gleeful…tonight was perfect. In her gut she knew it was the start of something amazing and Stella planned to enjoy every moment of it.

***


End file.
